Odds and Ends
by Cuboid
Summary: Why was Itachi Uchiha - a passive, arrogant, legendary ex-ANBU - stuck in her mind like an incurable infection?
1. Before

_A/N: So, this is the first part of a two-shot. I hope you enjoy._

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* * *

_

Neither of them knew that the other was in their sights – in their _minds – _until they were too far gone. Both as stubborn as each other, feelings, love and infatuation went unnoticed. Their meaningless conversations had hidden messages, hidden feelings. She didn't know that. And neither did he.

When you're in love, it can make you do stupid things.

* * *

She ducked, causing her pink strands to whip violently around her face. Light eyebrows creased in determination and lips thinned in annoyance, she swung out a pale leg and attempted to sweep the Uchiha off his feet. He jumped lightly into the air, as though he could step on the transparent element, and jabbed out a leg of his own. It caught her in the jaw and she shot sideways, gliding along the grass before coming into contact with a nearby boulder. She rested against it for a minute, then let out a frustrated groan. Her spidery hand began to glow a pale green. She healed the bump on her head, closing her eyes and urging the dizziness away.

"Hn. You're as weak as ever."

Sakura's eyes shot straight back open to send a lethal glare at Sasuke, her sparring partner. She shook off the chakra in her hand and spat the blood that had trickled into her mouth onto the floor beside her. Wiping the back of her clothed hand over her mouth, she rose to her feet and narrowed her eyes.

"And you're as slating as ever," she threw a sudden punch towards Sasuke's bland, disapproving expression. He blocked it easily with his cold hand, enveloping her fist. He pulled it towards him and his elbow headed towards her face. She ducked and sent a chakra infused fist towards the enigmatic boy's stomach.

He disappeared.

She cursed and ran a hand through her dirt-ridden hair, allowing the chakra that she had sent to her fist to dissipate. She was precariously low on chakra. It was then, in the distance, she heard Kakashi's deep voice.

"Wrap it up. Let's head off home."

Sakura slumped to the ground, outstretching her aching, cut legs in front of her and pressing her two hands into the dewy grass behind her. She looked up into the darkening sky and closed her eyes, letting the cool wind brush over her skin and listening to the quiet rustle of the trees around her. Training with Sasuke was always a pain – he never fought to his full potential. She wouldn't fight to her full, if her partner didn't either.

Next time, she'd ask for Kakashi. That was the level she put herself at.

"Hey, Sakura, we're heading off to Sasuke's, you coming? Apparently, Mikoto's cooking us up a feast!" Sakura's eyes opened again to see Naruto leaning over her, a wide grin over his whiskered face and his hands settled behind his head. She smiled up at him, letting out a sigh.

"Alright. As long as it saves me eating alone tonight." She outstretched a hand and Naruto took it without question, pulling her to her throbbing feet with ease. He slung a careless arm around her shoulder and for once, she allowed it. Team Seven emerged out of the training area in silence, exhaustion and hunger overriding their senses. They strolled past her house and she managed to get them to wait while she showered, dressed into her usual red outfit and tall boots, and then tied up her hair.

She scampered back outside and continued with the blonde, black and grey-haired men, not noticing their gazes examining her quickly. She walked on, oblivious.

How was she to know, that because of her hidden figure, clean, fresh face and carelessness of fashion, she attracted men without their knowing? Sakura had always told herself she didn't need a man. She needed strength and logic that surpassed her teammates and showed other shinobi that women were just as challenging as men.

Kakashi pulled out his copy of Icha Icha Paradise and flicked forwards to the page had been reading currently, before training had commenced. His student was beginning to trouble him. Casting one single eye over to her direction before settling it back on the provocative scenes in front of him, his thin, grey eyebrow tilted downwards into a concerned expression.

Sakura seemed to be getting stronger during every training session. It had gotten to the point where Sasuke and Naruto were not willing to fight too hard with her, as the fear that she may take this as an opportunity to show her full potential was overriding them. Not even they wanted to know if she was on the same level as them – maybe higher.

Sasuke sent a cautious glance over to Sakura, whose brow was still furrowed as though training was continuing. He didn't remember not seeing her face with that determined, yet broken frown on it. Wasn't he supposed to be the stoic one? What had happened to her?

Naruto let his comrades walk in front of him, so he could look at Sakura's back without facing the accusation of being a pervert. Not that he'd hear that from Sakura – he didn't remember the last time she'd ever cut loose. He knew that today's five hour training session hadn't stopped for her. In her mind, she was planning the next four hours after dinner. Nine hours a day, she trained. The rest of the hours were spent saving lives at the hospital.

Was she human? Did she sleep? He didn't remember when she had become so much like the perfect shinobi weapon. Tsunade wouldn't have trained her to the point of exhaustion. No; she wouldn't do that. Sakura's change was after her training with Tsunade had been complete.

Nothing fit into place. Even though he missed the Sakura he had once knew – once _loved – _he knew that bringing up the fact that she had changed so drastically would maybe even cause her to get worse. It was best to leave it alone.

It was best to leave her alone.

* * *

Kakashi had dispersed – as he usually did in social situations – but Sakura, Sasuke and Naruto were sat around the Uchiha's elegant, large table. They all shared equal looks of awe at the food piled on the table and awaited Mikoto to finally take a seat too. She placed a final large plate on the table and wiped the back of her hand along the sweat on her forehead, before resting the hand on her hip. She looked at the large amount of food victoriously and grinned at everyone who was awaiting her confirmation to begin.

"I must say, I'm very proud of myself. Cooking all this was more challenging than an S-Rank mission," she rested a hand on her large, protruding stomach and looked down at it lovingly before taking a seat. "It's quite relieving to be off-duty again after all these years."

"You'll be eating for two, Mikoto!" Naruto grinned and lifted up his chopsticks, diving into a bowl in front of him. Mikoto let out a quiet laugh and began to get caught up in the blonde-haired boy's eating. She gazed at him as though he was her own. She wasn't going to tell Naruto that sometimes, the reasons she made the feasts, was so that he wouldn't have to eat alone. Naruto was like a son to her. She turned to gaze at Sakura, who was eating with elegance and poise, a frown on her beautiful face. Mikoto sighed. It was that frown that reminded her so much of her husband and her sons. Never did she think she'd see it on cheerful, aggressive Sakura.

Yet, there she was, eating the food as though it would snatch out and bite her at any moment. It may have been nice to make a feast to allow her to see Naruto at his happiest, but she felt more obliged to make them for Sakura nowadays. She knew that the girl's meals consisted of instant ramen, snuck in between shifts at the hospital and training.

Sasuke began to complain in a low, disgusted tone to Naruto about his eating habits and the blonde reacted violently back, stabbing chopsticks in the Uchiha's face and yelling that if he was hungry, he would eat how he liked. Sakura chewed on her piece of meat and looked at the boys disapprovingly. Mikoto waited. And waited.

There was nothing. No violent action that usually involved slamming the boys' heads together and screaming at them to enjoy the meal in peace. The pink-haired kunoichi just stared at them.

However, it turned out such an action from her was not needed. The door to their dining room-cum-kitchen opened and Itachi Uchiha walked in.

It was like he had released a freezing jutsu upon entry. Even Sakura had gone rigid, yet she had not raised her gaze to stare at the older Uchiha, like everyone else had. Her shoulders immediately tensed, though.

"Brother." Sasuke greeted formally, chopsticks and rice bowl in hand. Naruto grinned and nodded at Itachi.

"Yo, Itachi."

His expression was blank at the greetings. He didn't reply, or acknowledge them. However, he did acknowledge the cold shoulder he received from his brother's pink-haired teammate, who hadn't even bothered to welcome him, as the others had.

He strolled over to the table, his eyes never leaving her pale face, and slowly, gradually pulled out the heavy chair beside her, letting the scraping of the legs echo around the kitchen. Sasuke and Naruto had continued their squabbling, albeit a little quieter, so the sudden scene between Itachi and Sakura went unnoticed.

"Isn't it considered polite to greet someone, whether they be acquaintance or enemy?" His deep, cool voice came from much closer beside her then Sakura had first anticipated. She stiffened. It wasn't that she didn't like Sasuke's brother – no, it wasn't that – it was more that she felt... _obliged _to stay quiet in his presence. It had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that almost everything that came out of his mouth seemed arrogant, vain and annoying.

Sakura swallowed her food and watched as Itachi's arm – clad in a dark blue, wool fabric – outstretched and picked off pieces of meat from the bowl beside her.

"I'll greet whoever I want to greet."

There was silence beside her for a moment, but she kept her heavy eyes on the plate in front of her. It had gotten to the point where she could no longer eat anymore. If she did, she knew what would happen. But she found herself trapped. If she left, the superior to her left would no doubt think he had been victorious in making in her feel uncomfortable. So, she took another bite of her food and pretended to ignore his presence.

"Head medic at Konoha Hospital, former apprentice to the Fifth Hokage and current record holder of most medical jutsu learned in the Hidden Leaf Village, Sakura Haruno. For someone who is held so high, it is a surprise that she has no manners."

Sakura finally gave in and snapped her head around quickly, the short bangs framing her face whipping it softly. Her green eyes clashed with Itachi's ashen ones. She stared at him for a moment, waiting to see whether her lethal gaze would make him tear away, just like everyone else's did. But he held firm, not even looking the slightest bit uncomfortable that he happened to be holding the gaze of someone so... dangerous.

"A Uchiha clan child prodigy rumoured to be the most lethal shinobi in Konoha and currently the most youngest ANBU ever to retire. For someone who is so worshipped, it's really no surprise that he hasn't got any manners." Sakura spat at the Uchiha, his current status and superiority not bothering her in the slightest. There was no movement on the pale face in front of her. His eyes remained blank, his eyebrows were still. But, his thin, light pink lips twitched upwards at one corner.

"I didn't think such a little girl could be so amusing."

Sakura felt a stab of annoyance travel up her arm and she slammed her chopsticks down onto the table, a little harder than anticipated. The sudden movement jolted the table a little, interrupting Naruto and Sasuke's bickering when they both jumped at the sound of plates on plates. Their attention was now on the two shinobi in front of them, who were currently deep in conversation. Naruto felt a shiver ran down his spine. Itachi, the strongest shinobi he knew and Sakura, the most aggressive, both staring at each other like two lions fighting over territory. The tension felt like a ton of bricks landing on his shoulders.

"Little girl, huh? Well, I'm having difficulty believing a weak-looking, pretty boy like you could even hurt a fly."

Sakura vaguely heard a gasp from the other side of the table.

"Sakura, you shouldn't say-" A hand caught any words that Naruto was about to say and shoved them right back into his big mouth. Sasuke was watching his brother with a strange gleam in his eyes and a smirk that made Naruto feel even more uncomfortable.

"Hey, idiot, can you see that?" He leaned in towards Naruto's right ear and hissed into it quietly. Naruto's wide, blue eyes glanced at Sasuke, then he moved them slowly to finally settle on the two, conflicting shinobi in front of him. He didn't see anything different.

"Mrphrgm," he took Sasuke's pale hand away from his mouth, allowing his words to come back out. He was frowning now, his eyes narrowed in speculation at the two in front of him. He moved his lips to the right of his face and replied in a loud whisper;

"I don't see anything. What am I looking for?"

Sasuke folded his arms over his white-robed chest and leaned backwards in the tall, heavy dining chair, watching his brother with increased scrutiny. He would have activated his Sharingan if he could, but it would alert Itachi to the fact he was being watched.

If anyone else had such sharp perception like he did, they would see that Itachi was riled. Sakura's comment had obviously hit a nerve, judging by the slight rigidness of his brother's right shoulder, the light throbbing of his jaw that went unseen and the tiniest narrowing of the ashen eyes.

Mikoto shook her head and smiled lightly to herself. Then she rose to her feet, pushing back the oak chair, and picked up her plate from in front of her, heading over to the counter and placing it upon the marble top. She rinsed her hands under the cold water and while she towelled them dry, her eyes drifted back over to her eldest son. It appeared there was conflict between the pink-haired kunoichi and Itachi. She wasn't even aware they had been acquainted.

Sasuke rose to his feet also, slapping Naruto on the arm with the back of his hand.

"Let's go." Naruto stopped in his examination to look up at Sasuke confusedly.

"What about Sakura? Shouldn't we- HEY!" Sasuke grasped the back of Naruto's orange collar and began to drag him backwards away from the kitchen, ignoring his squeals and yells that he still wanted to continue eating. Mikoto left shortly afterwards.

Sakura and Itachi were alone in the kitchen, unknowingly. Their staring contest was still in action.

"Would you be willing to fight this 'weak, pretty boy,'?" Itachi replied, tilting his head in a questioning manner. Sakura smirked and pushed herself upwards from the table, the chair scraping back noisily against the dark, wooden flooring.

"Thought you'd never ask."

* * *

The sky was a dull, dark blue and the large moon illuminated both Itachi and Sakura in the training grounds, their faces equally pale and their motivation equally high.

"No ninjutsu, no genjutsu." Sakura stated, ruling out both her medical techniques and Itachi's bloodline. While she was no stranger to the bleeding red eyes, she still knew their lethal power and with it activated, there was minimal chance of her winning. Not when she was so depleted of chakra already.

Itachi nodded curtly in reply, getting into his battle stance. His mind hadn't even registered his actions yet. He was still questioning them, wondering what exactly it was about his brothers pink-haired teammate that had managed to get him so certain on proving her wrong. Perhaps it was her similar attitude towards him as he had towards other people.

She gave him no signal of starting, which was exactly what he expected. As she came at him, fist outstretched, he readied himself and blocked her oncoming hand. Then he used it as leverage to flip above her, grasping her neck and waist as he went. As he landed, he threw her over his shoulder onto the floor, where she then flipped and threw several shuriken into his direction. This continued for a while, almost seeming like a dance. Was she playing with him? Was he playing with her?

"I don't really see what the big deal is about you." Sakura yelled at him from across the field, starting a multitude of front flips before approaching him and sending a kick at his face while balancing solely on her two, firm arms. He blocked her leg with his left forearm and grasped it with his right hand, but before he could throw her, she swung herself up so both legs were round his neck and she was supporting herself by grasping onto his head. He stumbled backwards under her weight and fell against a nearby, rock wall, his hands grasping her thighs tightly. Her face seemed to permanently be creased into a deep frown.

Itachi found the position rather uncomfortable, despite his talent to block out such disconcerting emotions. So, he released one of her thighs and reached behind him to grasp her foot, where he then tore her away from him, raising a foot and kicking her hard in the stomach. The first contact.

She engraved into the dirt as she slid along the ground, before she finally stopped herself by lodging a kunai into the ground, holding her weight. She stood up slowly, one arm clutching her stomach and a smirk on her face. She expected to see some arrogant stare that told her she was pathetic – the kind she usually got from Sasuke. Or, the sympathetic yet disappointed one she would get from Naruto. Possibly even the concerned, cold stare from Kakashi. Instead, nothingness. Just blank, empty, grey orbs. Like dust balls.

She snorted quietly to herself and scratched at her forehead, looking uneasily down at the floor whilst an arm still wrapped around her stomach. She'd expected more from the Uchiha prodigy. She knew him no more from the rumours that spread around Konoha, yet sparring with him made her feel like they were personal.

Her eyes widened suddenly. If it were possible, her pale skin became an ever lighter shade of white. Her arms were trembling, her legs were uneasy. No... she hadn't over-eaten. Had she?

She fell to the floor, her unstable legs no longer able to keep her sturdy. Knees came into contact with cold, moist grass and her hands clutched drily into the blades. Her stomach – not on the outside, but inside – began to resemble the feeling of a thousand needles, pressed in and out of her skin continuously. She retched, emptying the contents of her stomach onto the ground.

The rest was a blur. There was a lot of darkness, sudden warmth, the feeling of flying and then comfort, blankets, beeping. It was to those feelings, that she finally lost consciousness.

* * *

"Her condition is stable. She'll be out by this afternoon, if things go well. For now, she's taking much-needed sleep."

The voice echoed around in Sakura's head, like it was being spoken from one side of a large room to another. It slowly, gradually became louder and louder. She opened her eyes.

She grimaced at the sudden whiteness that blinded her vision and her eyes shrivelled up before opening completely to reveal a white room. She knew that ceiling.

"Sakura! You're awake!" A blonde figure bounded towards her from the end of her bed and the mattress tilted when he placed his hands onto the edge, leaning over her to get a good look at her face. Her confused, dazzled green eyes focused completely on the person who had called her name.

"Naruto." She said, surprised at the hoarseness of her own voice. He gave her a wide grin, looking overly happy at just the sound of his name. Sakura swallowed to dampen her dry throat and pushed her weak arms behind her, attempting to sit up. She shook off Naruto's hands that offered to help.

"What am I doing here?" She looked around the hospital ward, not surprised to see that she was in a room of her own. Naruto scratched the side of his cheek, refusing to make eye contact.

"Well, Itachi told us you were in hospital and said it was up to you to tell us why. Say, Sakura, is there anything you want to talk about?"

She didn't hear Naruto's question. She'd stopped all train of thought, all movement, all _breathing _at the sound of _his _name. A hand suddenly snapped to her hair and she entwined it in her pink strands, a lost expression on her face. She'd collapsed in front of him. No one was supposed to know. _No one._

She didn't hear the nurse leave. She didn't hear Naruto come back with the nurse, who tested her blood pressure and spoke to her. The words went in one ear and out the other. _No one was supposed to know._

_

* * *

_

That afternoon, she was dispatched. She knew what would happen. Word would spread. She worked, lived and sometimes _slept _in the hospital – she knew how it operated. There was a sanction of nurses that revelled in sharing the information of others, despite the confidentiality contract. Yet, she had never thought to remind them of it. She had never thought she would also be victim to them.

The moment she left the hospital, she felt the harsh, speculating stares of others. Sakura Haruno, the girl who had supposedly killed even children whilst attempting to save her own parents, who had fallen victim to the Akatsuki and had been tortured, who had been targeted countless times because of her position with the Hokage, whose enemy listed nearly beat that of Itachi Uchiha's... was ill. Sakura Haruno was ill. She was weak.

She didn't remember which were lies and which were the truth. Did it matter? Whether it be lie or not, Konoha believed it. And if it was believed, that almost made it the truth.

Feeling the stares on her back, hating the fact that she was no longer invisible, seemed to rile a hatred inside her. It was a hatred for the one person who was responsible – who should have just left her, alone, like she had always been in such a situation. Instead, he had taken her to the hospital – the last place she needed to be.

Sakura wasn't even alarmed when an ANBU dropped down in front of her, in the familiar crouch they all were in as they greeted the target of their message.

"The Hokage wishes to see you."

Sakura nodded sharply and the ANBU disappeared from in front of her. Tsunade wanted to see her. Was that so...

She continued onwards down her route and entered her flat, slamming the door behind her. She headed into her room, put on a plain black shinobi t-shirt and a pair of shorts, then settled down onto her sofa and rested her head backwards against the armrest.

She could have counted the minutes.

"Usually, when I send a messenger, I expect the target to listen." Tsunade's voice seemed loud in Sakura's tight, confined flat. Sakura smiled upwards at her ceiling, her bright green eyes shut off from the world so all she saw was darkness.

"Lady Tsunade, you know me well enough by now to know-" A crack made Sakura's eyes snap open. She tilted her head back so she was staring upside down at her teacher, then her gaze moved to the table beside the blonde shinobi, which was now broken. Tsunade had smacked her fist against it in anger, obviously using much more force than necessary. Sakura frowned.

"Sensei, now I'll need a new on-"

"How long do you plan to keep this up, Sakura?" Tsunade's voice sounded like it was struggling to keep even and quiet, as to not alert the other passing shinobi around Sakura's house. Sakura sat up and rested her back against her comfortable blue sofa, staring down at the hands in her lap. She scratched the back of her head instead of replying.

"It was _three years ago. _Don't think you're the only shinobi in Konoha grieving the loss of their parents-"

"Yeah, but it's not_ just_ losing them, sensei!" Sakura's attitude turned suddenly at the mention of her parents. Her eyes still glared angrily down at her hands, as though releasing her anger on them would rid it completely. "I was _there. _I was _responsible. _I was weak and let them die." She finally brought the green orbs back up to her sensei, who looked at Sakura with sympathy. Sakura swallowed the lump in her throat and her voice came out calm, yet wobbly. "It wasn't just my parents, sensei. It was my clan." She snorted and changed her direction of gaze over to a dark, gray picture that sat above her fireplace. "What little was left of it anyway."

Silence stretched out into Sakura's tiny, dull flat and for a moment, Sakura thought that the Hokage had left. She didn't dare turn to look, in case she happened to catch an expression which would make her lose control. She jumped when a heavy hand placed itself on her shoulder and a light kiss was pressed to her forehead. Sakura's eyes were wide and she waited until Tsunade pulled away before looking up at her. The blonde shinobi smiled down at her, all sense of sympathy gone and a determined, proud expression on her face.

"The reason you can't let it go is because you haven't been looking at others. When I thought I'd lost everything, a certain blonde, loud-mouthed knuckle-headed ninja came into my life and changed my ideals, my dreams, my hopes. Someday, you'll find someone like that too." The Hokage ruffled her hair and did a two-fingered salute, before disappearing into a cloud of smoke. Sakura remained on her sofa, frowning in confusion up at the gray wall that was outstretched in front of her.

Someone appearing her life, making her forget about the pain, the memories and the regret? Snorting, she rose to her feet. Yeah, right.

At that present moment, she didn't want comfort. She didn't want to forget it all.

She just wanted to kick a certain Uchiha's ass for destroying her life. Well, what was left of it anyway...

* * *

Sasuke was certainly surprised to see her at his door, especially mid-afternoon when she'd usually be training hard, not stopping until her body could take no more or her chakra was completely depleted.

"You're out of the hospital then?" His cold, detached voice asked her. She looked over his shoulder, attempting to peek inside the house for any view of her current target.

"Obviously."

Sasuke stepped away from the entrance of the door, allowing her to see inside their wooden, furbished hallway. She was obviously not looking for him, which was no surprise. It was, however, a surprise when the notion came into his head that she appeared to be looking for his elder brother.

"He's out." Sasuke told her, folding his arms over his chest and resting his back against the flat, white doorframe. Sakura's irritated frown deepened and she gritted her teeth, letting out an inward sigh and running a hand through her dishevelled fuchsia hair. She didn't notice Sasuke's inquisitive gaze unmoving on the side of her face.

"Why the sudden interest in my brother, may I ask?" When her eyes snapped to his, for once he actually held her gaze instead of breaking it. He had always felt uncomfortable, staring into the eyes of the woman who had once loved him so much yet now treated him like nothing but a hassle.

She didn't seem fazed by his eye contact, or his question. "As the Uchiha prodigy and most talented shinobi in the village, I know that he won't hold back against me and lose on purpose." Sasuke heard the accusation in her voice, but let it pass. Sakura snorted and turned away, placing her hands in the small of her back and resting against them on the doorframe. She looked out at the people who passed, ignoring their quick, furtive glances. "And I want to kill him."

Sasuke, for the first time in his life, felt slightly alarmed. Sakura wanted to kill his brother? His brother was idolised by all shinobi. Constantly challenged, but not hated.

"He handed me into the hospital without my permission." Sakura seemed to answer the question that Sasuke was burning to ask, yet hadn't for he didn't want to seem as though he was interested. Sasuke didn't reply, but looked away. He shared a mutual understanding with Sakura in that aspect. Appearance for the Uchiha clan was everything. If he had been submitted to hospital, due to his own carelessness, he would be ridiculed. Although, why Sakura wanted an appearance held up was beyond his knowledge. Surely the rumours surrounding his pink-haired teammate weren't true?

Sasuke didn't realise that he and his teammate seemed to fall into a conversation and a friendly one at that. Sakura didn't realise either. To civilians who passed, it would seem like they were doing nothing but both resting against a doorframe, like they were waiting for a friend or companion, because although they talked, their eyes remained on different objects. Eye contact was difficult for Sakura, even to her closest friends.

Eventually, he arrived home. Itachi didn't seem to be carrying anything, so where he had gone was a mystery. She didn't care.

The fact that he stood at the bottom of the steps to the domain, staring up at both Sasuke and Sakura like he had known they would be there the whole time, infuriated her further. Couldn't he at least show some emotion? Show some surprise, hatred, annoyance?

"You've got some apologising to do." Sakura ordered, not noticing Sasuke slip inside the house quietly, leaving his brother and his comrade to talk stuff out. He did not want to be in the way when the two were talking.

Itachi looked at her blankly. Ashen eyes showed nothing.

"I don't believe I've got anything to apologise for."

Sakura let out a loud snort, unladylike, but it didn't bother her. She glared at Itachi and pointed at a pair of jonin who walked past, staring at her like she was a ghost.

"_That. _That is what you have to apologise for."

He didn't turn around, just continued to watch her, like she was a boring scroll he had been told to read due to a mission. She hated it. She hated how such a blank, unreadable shinobi could be one of the strongest.

"I am not responsible for the lack of confidentiality in the hospital, Miss Haruno."

Sakura bit her tongue too hard and the slight tang of metal caused her to grimace. It was either that, or that fact that his comment had made sense. A lot of sense.

He'd said her name.

She grit her teeth and remained standing on the top step, even as Itachi strolled past her into the Uchiha main house. She waited until he had entered before turning to follow him, inhaling the scent she had gotten to know as Sasuke's. She left the door open behind her, but it closed by itself as she followed Itachi around the house. He paused and looked over his shoulder.

"Do you need something?"

She glared at him furiously. "A rematch."

He turned his head back away and started to ascend up the stairs. She followed, even though his posture and stiffness told her not to.

"I will not fight someone in such a condition-"

"-DON'T even think about using it as an excuse," she tagged along at Itachi's heels, ignoring the widened eyes of Sasuke as they passed him on the landing when they finally reached the top of the stairs. It didn't even occur to Sakura that she'd never been in the part of the Uchiha main house that led to Itachi's room.

"Perhaps if you tell me what it is that's wrong with you, I will be eager to reconsider?"

Sakura stopped walking. Itachi seemed to notice the light patter of footsteps stop from behind him and again he looked over his shoulder. He turned fully, folding his arms over his chest. Sakura's expression showed one of fortitude and pain, like she was battling with her mind. The pulsing part of her cheekbone, indicating that she was gritting her teeth, seemed to draw his attention away from her face.

"Fine," she spat out. He brought his attention back to her eyes and noticed they were gleaming with something he couldn't decipher. He opened the door to his bedroom that he was standing next to – whilst still facing her - and pressed his hand against the doorframe. With his other, he gestured for her enter. She stormed in, like a child being sent to their room by a parent.

He followed soon after, closing the door quietly behind him. He knew that his brother was watching them in immense curiosity and suspicion from the other side of the hallway and he was not willing to favour to his brother's thirst for knowledge.

His bedroom was small, and usually obsessively clean. Yet, today, he seemed almost too conscious of the fact it no longer looked organised and rather more like a real human's room. He hadn't remembered being so careless with his cleaning.

The pink-haired kunoichi didn't seem to notice, though. She had her back to him, her arms folded over chest. The short, red top she was wearing revealed a part of her pale back and he found himself staring at it. She turned around suddenly, like something had attacked her from behind and her bright hair flapped wildly around her face, her eyes alight with forced determination.

"It's just an eating disorder, alright?" Her teeth were grinding against each other again, as the pulsing part of her face had become more apparent. She was obviously more angered than before.

Itachi found her illness to be no surprise, however. Her chakra inflation and depletion was damaged and her movements were weak and forced. Itachi wondered how she would react to his knowing if he were to tell her.

"I know."

It proved to be worth it. Again, the frown that usually was bedded into her forehead disappeared and she looked like a lost, little girl. Just like how she had used to look. She scratched the side of her forehead, not taking her unwavering gaze away from his. That was something that concerned him – the fact she had no problem with reaching for his eyes and staring long and hard into them.

"H-How?"

Itachi took a few steps forwards and seated himself on his chequered bed sheets, leaning onto his thin, toned arms. He looked up at her through thick eyelashes, his black, tight, t-shirt settling into every curve of his stomach.

"Your chakra wavers, your movements are forced and you put off a strong front, while inside you seem to be in a lot of pain, physically and emotionally." He almost missed her aggressive expression when her bright, green eyes began to gleam and her mouth was downturned in way that showed utter misery. He sat up a little straighter. "My eyes are not only useful for combat."

Sakura swallowed. And swallowed. And swallowed. The lump inside her throat didn't appear to be disappearing. Was she that readable in his eyes? Could Sasuke see what was wrong with her too?

No, he couldn't. She refused to break away from the stubborn staring contest that had ensued between her and Itachi again. Did he have to say it so blankly? So easily?

Sakura Haruno wasn't supposed to feel sad. Three years ago, she'd locked away sadness and settled on anger. So, she was sad now? Sad, because Itachi Uchiha – of all people – had taken one look at her and summed her up, like she was nothing but a math problem? Of course, to anyone who had the sense, she was obviously in pain. But, to be told it so bluntly and so passively... It created so much more of an impact.

She turned around and finally broke the eye contact. The olive green wall that greeted her when she turned seemed like a good target so without all her strength, without chakra, she began to pummel it hard with her fists, taking out her anger, taking out her sadness. She told herself she wouldn't be sad. She told herself she wouldn't cry.

A hand captured both of hers and rested them on the wall, preventing them from their beating anymore. She didn't turn around, she didn't try to pull away. She felt him behind her, but his closeness left her unfazed. Instead, she let her head droop forwards towards the floor, allowing her pink locks to frame her face, frame her clenched eyes, frame and attempt to hide her emotions. A single tear fell to his carpet.

"You idiot," she whispered to him, resting her soft forehead against the olive green wall underneath her captured, entwined wrists. "You idiot," she repeated, banging her head lightly against the wall. "Couldn't you have at least looked surprised? Couldn't you have lied? Couldn't you have pretended not to see right through me?"

She tore her hands from his grasp and brushed past him, storming out of the room as fast as she could. She needed to get away from him. The sadness would be replaced with anger soon and there was no holding back if _he _happened to be in the way. This was all his fault. His fault that now, she was being sympathised by the whole village. His fault that she had become so easy to read.

His fault, that slowly, but surely, she was becoming human again.

* * *

"Brother."

Itachi, whose arm was outstretched and resting against the wall, like he needed it for support, turned his head to peer over his shoulder. Sasuke was in his open doorway, a light frown dusting over his features and a sprinkling of accusation there also. Itachi lifted his hand from the wall, wiping it down the side of his shinobi trousers and standing sideways, so his face was not fully visible to his younger brother.

"You made Sakura cry-"

"-I am not responsible for the instability of a young adult." He moved his gray, dark eyes so they were staring at Sasuke's feet, but not his face. He felt that if he were to look into his brothers perceptive gaze right now, he would seem to be a lot more emotional than he was. Because he wasn't bothered at all by Sakura Haruno's outburst. She was absolutely nothing to do with him, eating disorder or not.

"Then explain."

Itachi, having swallowed down his stable notion, finally brought his blank, calculating gaze back up to his younger brother.

"She is simply emotionally troubled over the fact her eating disorder is now being spread amongst the villagers of the Hidden Leaf Village. I was the first to discover this and it seems she believes I was responsible for it being determined." Itachi looked down at the floor. "Now, leave."

Sasuke left without objection, happy that his thirst had at least been quenched with what could have been half-truths, but was enough for him. Itachi frowned, seating himself at his desk and looking through a pile of reports he had started but was yet to finish. He picked one up and began to scan through it, scribbling down notes here and there. After a couple of minutes, he swept it to the floor slowly and rose to his feet, opening his bedroom door and heading down the chilly hallway that led outside into the orange, basking light of the sun.

He would go for a walk and when he had finished, he would think no more of the silly pink-haired girl that he had once informally sparred with as her teammate's older brother.

* * *

_A/N: Just the first part. Unfortunately, the yummy stuff comes later. ;) Review!_


	2. After

_A/N: Part two. Little warning for you younglings; this gets a little bit messy, dirty, kinky - pft, whatever. You'll probably be able to guess when it starts, so just stop reading. But, honestly, I don't think any of you will anyway. ;)_

_

* * *

_

Sakura didn't see Itachi for over a month. In fact, she saw hardly anyone within that time, having taken a month's leave from the hospital.

She had begun self-rehabilitation. After being so easily analysed by someone she was so distant from, she had decided to try and see if it were possible to return to the way she had been. The way people expected Sakura Haruno to act. Slowly, as she began to regain her eating ability, regain her curves, regain her personality, she started to look back on herself. Had she been like that? Had she been stoic for all those years? Had she self-pitied herself for that long?

Tsunade had been right. She had needed to look around and see that she was not the only shinobi suffering. Kakashi had a story behind his Sharingan that had brought her tears all those years ago; Sasuke had lost his father in a major battle of the clans, shortly after finding out his mother was pregnant; Naruto had been alone, shunned and pushed because of the nine-tailed fox and had no parents, no clan. Just like her.

She hadn't seen it before. So wrapped up and caught in self-misery. Pathetic.

She inhaled the breezy, cool air in her newly-painted white-walled flat and then let out a deep breath, looking at herself in the mirror. She was confident that she was back to her normal self – if anything she actually seemed to be even slightly more radiant then she had been before. She still trained, albeit a little less and spent more nights sleeping, instead of outstretching her muscle compatibility to the point where she felt like they would tear to shreds. Her lank, dull pink strands now bounced and seemed to shine in the light, her pale, ashen face had colour to it, looking more fresh and alive then it had before. But her eyes stood out more. There was no longer the ghost of her past hiding behind it, threatening to bring her down, to cut her out. She was one.

She smiled at herself, deeply. It wasn't an 'I've-gotten-hot' smile. It was an 'I-actually-believe-in-myself' type of smile.

Soft rapping on her front door caused her to snap out of her momentary lapse in reality and she headed over to it, opening it with bountiful energy. Naruto's mouth dropped open, observing her current outfit and fresh, new look.

"Wow, Sakura. You really did it." For once, he didn't throw her a cheeky, happy grin, or a careless, perverted smile. He threw an arm over her neck and tugged her into him, hugging her tightly to his chest. Sakura felt her eyes welling with tears that she knew wouldn't fall and she delicately rested a hand above his waist.

"Welcome back, Sakura," he whispered, finally allowing a smile to outstretch over his fazed face. Sakura tugged away and smiled weakly back at him, tucking her hair behind her ear and sniffing loudly. She slapped him on the arm.

"Hey, anymore unexpected contact from you and I'll pound you into the ground," her threat was completely forceless and weak and clearly had no impact, thanks to the smile that refused to leave her face. She felt good. She felt like herself again.

Naruto grinned and tucked his hands behind his head as they walked along, loving the attention they received from passing shinobi that nudged each other, not bothering to hide the fact they were talking about Sakura. Sakura Haruno was better. Stronger.

She felt a blush rise to her cheeks – something she didn't even know she was capable of doing – and grasped Naruto's arm, dragging him along faster. He let out a laugh and allowed himself to be pulled by the fiery pink-haired kunoichi.

"Hey, Sakura, don't you want people to stare?"

She felt herself smiling as they passed a nearby group of people, who halted in their bustling conversation to watch intently as the two shinobi passed them, creating more of a scene then they had been previously.

They were quick to arrive at the Uchiha compound. This was it.

Sakura let out a deep breath she was holding and settled the determined frown back onto her face. The frown that, now, when etched into her brow, looked like she was on a mission and not in pain. Like she could conquer the world. She released Naruto and consciously brushed down her outfit. The outfit that she, from now on in, intended to wear.

"Mikoto's feast awaits!" Naruto snickered to himself and bounded up the stairs to the Uchiha main house, banging on the door loudly. Sasuke opened it, frowning in disapproval at Naruto, who shoved past him without even greeting him. Sakura slowly walked up the steps, feeling small and awkward when Sasuke finally stopped glaring at Naruto's back and moved his eyes back around to her. Sakura, who he had been the last person he expected to see.

"Sakura," he actually said it in a tone that showed he was surprised – rare, for a Uchiha – and she smiled brightly up at him, quickening her short, erratic footsteps to enter the house without a word. Sasuke closed the door and stood, on his own, in the hallway for a short moment, tuning out from the bustling in the kitchen. She had looked so healthy, so bright... and was wearing something undeniably familiar.

Sakura walked around the dining table, this time able to fully appreciate the feast stretched in front of her. During her rehabilitation, it had taken a lot of willpower not to come to Mikoto's feast, in fear that she would lose control. Or that she would bump into _him_.

But now, she felt confident and grinned at Sasuke's mother, scratching the back of her head in a way that mirrored Naruto's regular movements.

"Wow, Mikoto, you've really outdone yourself this time."

Mikoto sat at the table, looking up at Sakura with hidden, sucked-in tears. She was back. Sakura Haruno was back and she looked stronger than ever.

As Sasuke and Naruto engaged into one of their usual spats, Sakura did nothing to stop them. But this time, she stared at them with love, a gleam behind those turquoise, bright eyes. Mikoto, while subconsciously rubbing at her pregnant stomach, smiled. Sakura Haruno was back and not only had she gotten stronger, but also softer.

As they all began to devour their meals, Naruto still sending rude, unimportant comments to Sasuke, the door opened. It was almost exactly like a month ago.

"Brother." Sasuke greeted, kicking Naruto under the table to make him swallow his food before greeting Itachi. Naruto grinned with a mouthful of food.

"Yo, Uchiha."

Then, slowly, gradually, Itachi turned to stare at the rare, unusual presence of Sakura Haruno. The dull, half-dead pink-haired girl. She carefully put down her chopsticks and rice bowl, and then settled her elbow on the table. She rested the back of her head on it and turned as leisurely as she could to stare at the one person whom had forced her into her cure. Pallid eyes remained blank, but inside Itachi Uchiha, something stirred.

She was definitely no longer half-dead. Definitely no longer dull. Everything about her face, her eyes, her hair, her mouth, her expression... it showed change. She was alive again. And, as his eyes subconsciously ran over her appearance, he thought something that he had never, ever been forced to state an opinion on before.

She was beautiful.

And in a near-identical outfit to his.

A short-sleeved, woollen, dark blue top fit to her curves, the large collar framed and hid her slender neck and the mid-thigh length white shorts contrasting with her skin. On top of that, she wore her tall, black boots and dark fingerless gloves. The similarity was there, and only noticed by Mikoto and Sasuke the moment Itachi had entered. Naruto hesitated in lifting a small blob of rice to his lips and looked inquisitively at Sasuke and his mother, wondering why it was they looked so amused, yet worried.

Sakura tilted her head and smiled sarcastically at Itachi. "Hello."

He was keeping a schooled expression, as per usual, but she had noticed his slight wavering of movement, the rigidness of his shoulders, the stiffness of his legs. He walked towards her, pulling out the chair from beside her and settling himself comfortably into it. She didn't miss the fact he pushed it closer to hers.

She picked up her chopsticks with her sturdy hand and mixed around the rice in her bowl, taking a mouthful and waiting. Just waiting.

A soft, warm breath tickled her earlobe.

"What are you playing at?" Itachi's deep, smooth voice didn't just travel into her brain, where it was sending the signals of sound. It travelled down her entire body, immediately blasting her senses into unnecessary overdrive. She cleared her throat and took another mouthful of damp, delicious rice.

"I don't know what you're talking abou-"

She was cut off by her own hiccup of shock and slapped a hand to her mouth in an attempt to hide it. He hadn't just... he didn't...

"Don't play stupid, Haruno. While I am happy you are no longer wallowing in self-pity, I would very much appreciate it if you didn't involve me in your little comeback." Itachi pulled away from her, picking his small, white bowl and filling it with food from the table. Sakura was still slightly trembling and hated herself for it. Had the old, old Sakura ever let someone get away with...

She ate as fast as she could, even shocking Naruto with her sudden outburst of desire for food. After Itachi rose to his feet, ready to depart back to his bedroom, she grabbed his arm and slammed her bowl onto the table, throwing her chopsticks that had been in the same hand, into it with a clang. The stoic man turned to lazily gaze at her. She stood to her feet quickly, pushing the chair back with immense force and ignoring the alarmed gazes from around the table. She pulled on his wrist tighter, ignoring the distracting skin-on-skin contact.

"Fight me." She ordered more than suggested, her voice slightly shaky, but more out of controlled anger and willpower than nervousness. Itachi straightened up and took one, slow step backwards before turning around to face her completely. He scanned her expression. Sakura watched him, refusing to break eye contact with the passive, unwavering Uchiha. She would show him.

One side of his lip quirked upwards into a humourless, smirk and he tilted his head sideways.

"What would I benefit from it?"

Another chair from the other side of the table scraped hard along the wooden floor.

"Brother-"

"Sasuke, sit down."

Sakura sent a cautious gaze over the members of the table, and then let out a deep breath through her nose. She stalked past Itachi, still grasping his wrist like a vice, leaving the building with him behind her.

He pulled his wrist free of her grip the moment they had left the door, his expression no longer amused. Sakura let the wind blow her free, wild bangs around and then placed both hands on her hips, glaring at him like he was a mortal enemy.

"What do you benefit from it? Well, I won't tear your head off for groping me under the table." She gritted her teeth and let out an angry breath through her nostrils. The Uchiha stood in front of her, as blank as a canvas. Nothing crossed over his face.

"It's immature to over exaggerate. I was simply attempting to remind you of what had made me so displeased-"

"BY TOUCHING MY LEG. YEAH, BECAUSE-" She cut herself off as Itachi began to walk towards her quickly, almost as if he was about to kill any enemy. She stumbled backwards as Itachi's arms outstretched past either side of her head. Hard wall pressed against Sakura's back and body warmth encased her front. His hands pressed into the wall. Itachi was close. Too close.

His foot moved so it was in between her long, thin legs and with it, he levered her up, making her eyes widen in surprise. She was unable to say anything. His knee in such an unmentionable place...

Every time she tried to open her mouth, no words came out. Just empty air. Itachi bent down, pressing himself in further. The two of them were hidden in the little open porch that sat outside the Uchiha residence, so all it would take was one passing person to curiously look up and see her between a wall and Itachi.

She was not happy.

"GET OFF-" A hand clamped over her mouth.

"Must you always speak so loudly? You are not a child." She felt rather than heard Itachi's voice as it rumbled through his chest onto hers. Heat flushed to her pale pink cheeks and she slowly raised her own hands up between them to gain a little distance.

"Must you always get so _close?_" She replied, a mocking tone in her voice. Itachi was far back enough for her to see his face. His flawless, smooth, pale, perfect face.

Her inner self – having returned shortly after her rehabilitation – began to rant about how her current situation was what she had been missing out on for all the past years she had been hidden. Eye candy. Attractive men. Sakura shook her head and swallowed an imaginary lump that had appeared in her throat. Itachi Uchiha was _not _attractive.

One corner of his lips turned upwards into a half-smile. God, did he have to smile like that when he was within such a close proximity?

"If getting close to you will halt your immature attempts to irritate me, then I will get as close as I like."

Sakura ignored the thrill and non-existent undertone to Itachi's voice and firmly stopped her lips from wobbling, readjusting her position with difficulty when the Uchiha dropped onto his left forearm against the wall and placed his right hand by her waist. She pushed herself as far back into the wall as she could, hoping that somehow her chakra would allow her to become one with it.

"I-I wasn't trying to irritate you," she cursed mentally at the stammer in her voice, the blush on cheeks, the warmth on her neck and the direction her eyes were travelling. Soft, thin, enticing lips that twitched upwards into a flicker of a smile before it was gone again. His silence obviously indicated her to continue. "You got me out of my half-dead state. Wearing these clothes make me feel brave."

He obviously hadn't been expecting that. Although his face didn't register surprise, he stiffened and brought his gray eyes away from her neck to look at her eyes. The green orbs resembled a rabbits in headlights, yet at the same time there was a kind of warmth in them that made him want to get closer.

He was pushing it too far. Why had he been so obliged to act out of character in an attempt to come into contact with that skin that had gone from pasty to smooth? Why had he wanted to rile up the girl in front of him, who was no more than a stranger to him?

He'd helped her without even meaning to. He'd brought this cold, lifeless girl back to reality and now she was in front of him, extremely close.

His left forearm still rested above her head and his right fingers brushed against the bricks on the other side of her waist, still firmly trapping her in.

Sakura's trembling lips parted as she stared down at Itachi's thin, inviting ones, as though she was trying to catch them in the air. Her eyelids were lowered and she felt the battle between her heart and mind going on loudly inside her. Her heart said back away – that she could get hurt. Her mind said 'FUCK IT, KISS THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS OUT HIM, IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S GONNA KILL YOU.' It had helped her to realise that her inner self resided inside her troubled mind and was definitely not helping with the situation. The mental image of her inner slamming onto a part of her brain that said 'pleasure' meant that currently, her mind was overruling her heart.

Their breaths mingled in the air, creating an air of warmth into the slightly chilly spring air. All it would take was one perilous movement of her head and their lips – which had seemed so far apart, yet were now so close – would brush against each other. Sakura's trembling hand that was flattened against the cool brick slowly began to move forwards subconsciously, reaching out for Itachi's t-shirt to tug him closer.

Suddenly, cold air hit her hard and she almost stumbled when she found her legs were her own again. Her hands were flattened against the wall again, her chest heaving up and down in an attempt to gulp in the oxygen she had lost. She stared at Itachi's back – which he had turned on her – in slight fear and confusion. He looked over his shoulder, his black, dark eyes not daring to look at her face.

Without a word, he stormed back into the residence, leaving her dazzled. Although on the surface, she appeared to look like an innocent girl whose bunny had just been taken away, deep down an anger was surfacing. An anger like she had never felt before.

She was going to kill him.

* * *

Itachi stalked past the kitchen, ignoring the questioning glances from his mother and Sasuke, who had obviously been awaiting his return. Instead, he grasped the wooden banister and launched himself up the stairs, entering his room and slamming the door behind him like an angry teenager.

He'd almost lost control. He couldn't – he _wouldn't – _ever let his mask drop in front of anyone. Since he was a teenager, he had told himself that women would not be allowed. Not when he was still at major risk of leaving them, deserted and alone.

He didn't realise he had been standing in the middle of the room, tense and livid. Suddenly, he stormed over to his desk chair and picked it up, launching it at his wall and watching it scatter around him. He slumped onto the edge of his bed and rested his elbows on his opened knees, his head falling into his hands. He noticed then that he saw his clothing. Blue top, white shorts, bandage around the thigh. Damn it.

He didn't know Sakura. She was his brothers younger teammate who had previously undergone major changes and become a beautiful girl. That was no concern to him.

Or was it? He had left ANBU for a reason, hadn't he? After his father's death, there was nothing holding him back. Nothing stopping him from doing as his father had done – having a family and raising them to be exceptional shinobi.

Itachi straightened up, his arms falling in between his thighs. Was he really thinking of starting a family? Him? Itachi Uchiha? Prodigy of the Uchiha clan? Killing machine?

Was he really thinking of the combination of children with black hair and dangerously familiar green eyes?

* * *

Sakura walked back into the bustling kitchen, noticing with relief that Itachi wasn't there. If he had been, it would have meant more mess for Mikoto to clear up.

She pulled back her chair and roughly sat in it, one elbow resting on the back of it and the other shoved into her white, short pockets. She glared at the wooden flooring beneath her, as though doing so would bring Itachi's death closer.

It was then she realised the table was quiet.

She looked up suddenly, noticing that Sasuke, Naruto and Mikoto were watching her with patient eyes. However, the moment she looked up, they all began to eat their food again, as though her entering had not affected them in any way.

Sighing, she pushed her chair back and stood up, bowing casually to Mikoto.

"I'll be going. Thanks for the meal."

And she left quickly, fists clenched in determination and face frozen with a light frown. But anyone who looked into her emerald eyes would notice that she was not happy. Not happy at all.

After she closed the front door to the Uchiha's residence, instead of heading back to her flat, she took a different route. She walked around the outside of the house, the loud crunch of her boots on the dry dirt the only sound she could hear. She reached the place she wanted to be.

As to not alert attention, she picked up a few stones from the dirt and threw them at Itachi's window. She waited. Nothing. Her eyebrow twitched in annoyance and she looked around cautiously, waiting for two people to stroll by before swinging out a kunai and listening to the 'twang' as it bounded off of the pane of glass. Nothing again.

She let out a sigh. It was either jump up onto the rooftop and tap hard on the window with her own hand, risking seeing something she didn't want to see, or continue throwing stones and kunai. With her short-temper, neither option seemed a good idea.

She picked up a stone and threw it at his window. She was sure he would have heard it. She looked around conspicuously, seeing that one person had stopped to stare. Oh well. Let them stare. She'd had enough of him pretending to not hear her.

"ITACHI. OPEN THIS DAMN WINDOW." She glared up at it angrily, maybe thinking that her green eyes would make him magically appear. She didn't care if Sasuke, Naruto and Mikoto heard. No doubt they would have guessed she was angry because of him anyway.

Another couple stopped to stare. She let out an angry huff.

"ITACHI." She used his name one last time with an edge of warning to her voice, before caving in. With skill and confidence, she jumped from wall to wall before settling easily onto the black-tiled, slanted roof that was below Itachi's window. It was open a crack, so she opened it and leapt in niftily.

Itachi's back was to her – just like it had been moments ago – and a deadly aura came from him. She folded her arms defiantly across her chest and parted her legs, as though implanting herself into the room with no intent to leave.

"I wanted to fight, not get sexually harassed." Her sentence started out strong-willed, like an enemy challenging a foe. But as it headed towards the end, her mind began to get bombarded with images. His fingers brushing against her thigh; his face close to hers; his eyes looking into hers so vulnerably... She pulled at the collar of the blue, Uchiha-like top she was wearing, wondering just when it was she got so warm.

"Get out." Itachi ordered her coldly, not even bothering to turn around to acknowledge her. Sakura's mouth fell open and she resisted the urge to snort in disbelief. He was being rude to her now? She took a few steps away from the glass window and kicked it shut with her foot, approaching the Uchiha slowly.

"I just want one fight with you. The other one ended badly and it's been a long time since I've sparred with anyone who wants to go all out." Her voice was firm. She wasn't leaving.

Itachi inclined his head ever so slightly over his small shoulder, his dark hair shadowing his beautiful eyes. "I said get out."

His voice was deadly, chilling and... alluring. She swallowed and bit on her lip, feeling herself not only wanting to get away from him, but also wanting to get closer. As close as they were before...

She shook her head quickly, her pink hair slapping her warm face. No, no, no, no, no. She hardly knew Itachi. What kind of person was she to want to get so close to him? She'd just spar with him, then leave him be. She was fed up of his immature behaviour, his indecisiveness, his refusal. She unfolded her arms and began to storm towards him with every intention of starting a fight in his bedroom.

"Fight me. Stop being so ignorant and-" Itachi turned suddenly and grasped both her wrists firmly in his warm, hot hands, turning her with impressive speed and slamming her into the wall. At the same time, he crushed his lips down onto hers, enveloping them in silky, smooth heaven.

Sakura immediately felt herself heat up, her eyes wide with surprise as Itachi outstretched her arms either side of her, pinning her wrists to the wall. She struggled for about five seconds, before finally giving in, allowing herself to be dragged into a passionate, unforgettable kiss.

Itachi pulled apart moments later, leaving the smallest of gaps between their faces. Their ragged breaths were the only sound in the room.

"I told you to get out." He still sounded angry, but his dark, exposed orbs were focused on her bruised, tender lips. Sakura's were on his.

"I wanted to fight," she replied with a hoarse, husky tone. Itachi's breath was currently dancing around her lips like sleek velvet. The corner of his lips twitched in a humourless reply.

"Past tense?" He enquired, leaning in as though he was about to kiss her again. He stopped himself, a frown as though in pain spreading across his face. He couldn't do it again.

"Itachi, we're heading to Shisui's! Don't break any furniture while we're gone!" Mikoto's voice echoed up the stairs, momentarily breaking the intense moment between the two shinobi. Sakura didn't even bother laughing at her humorous comment, just began to get slightly afraid. She was alone in the house with Itachi, who obviously didn't want to fight.

He tore his intense gaze away from her lips and stared at the floor, loosening his grip in her sore wrists that were outstretched either side of her. He didn't let them go, however.

"This is wrong."

Although Sakura's senses and emotions were very much confused, she still felt a pang of anger at his comment. She was frowning now too, her pale forehead carved in anger.

"No. _That _was wrong. Once you've stepped over the line, there's no going back." She tilted her head downwards to attempt to catch his gaze. His deep, black eyes looked upwards at her. She finally tore her wrists away from Itachi's grasp, ignoring their soreness, and wrapped them around his neck and into his silken hair; pressing her mouth to his like they had moments ago. She didn't even feel a moment of restraint as he kissed back just as fervently, like he was hungry for her.

He turned so the backs of her knees hit the edge of his quilted bed, allowing her to drop onto the soft blankets. Not once did they stop their ministrations and he clambered on top of her, wrapping a pale arm slowly around her waist and lifting her further up the bed.

Sakura's mind was a constant fuzz, no longer allowing her inner or any rational thoughts to escape. She was on Itachi's bed, being kissed by Itachi and-

"Oh, God." She said breathlessly after Itachi broke the kiss. He had moved to her neck without her knowing, focusing on one point where her pulse was beating erratically. Once there, he had placed his lips over it and sucked hard. She felt dancing fingers brushing over her Uchiha shirt before being pulled upwards. Sakura was having difficulty telling where she began and Itachi ended, her mind so focused on his hot lips on her neck, yet distracting by his moving fingers. He brushed the underside of her bra and _that _was when he snapped back to reality.

He stiffened above her and drew himself away. Looking underneath him, he saw Sakura's flushed face, a newly developing love bite and her flat, toned, _perfect _stomach revealed to him. What was he doing?

Sakura noticed he had stopped and her slightly lust-filled gaze glared at him in frustration. Letting out a mental growl of anger, she let her primal instincts – otherwise known as her inner – take over. She raised herself onto her knees, Itachi following suite until they were both on their knees, staring at each other as though having an unheard conversation. She swooped in close, as though about to kiss him once again, before drawing out and taking the top she was wearing off with one, clean sweep.

Itachi's eyes were instantly distracted, his hormonal side overriding his sense. A clean, fresh, white bra held up perfectly round breasts that looked so... beautiful. Heat rushed to his face, his neck, his stomach – everywhere. Sakura attentively moved her own hands to the bottom of Itachi's similar shirt, hoping that he wouldn't notice when she removed it. She wanted to see what he looked like.

When she lifted it from him, it was as though he didn't even realise it had been discarded.

He'd had enough.

His lips slammed hard into hers again and she tumbled backwards onto the bed, returning his passion equally. The bra came off and, without even bothering to admire her immense beauty, he attached silky lips to her pink, pert bud. She arched and let out a strangled breath, like she was being choked with the pleasure. Her spidery fingers wrapped themselves into his dark hair.

Itachi placed a warm hand onto the side of her ribs, gliding his fingers up her stomach until they reached her other nipple. He closed his thumb and index finger over it. Sakura's eyes tightly closed and she let out a breathless gasp, confused yet so filled with lust. She couldn't understand what she was feeling, so hot yet so cold and an aching pain in her gut. An aching pleasurable pain.

Itachi lifted her up off of the bed so they were sitting up, her straddling his waist and her arms around his neck. Her eyes snapped open when something hard came into contact with the place that was aching so badly. She brought her eyes down to stare at him in shock. He was...

His eyes were dark and tantalising, filled with sparkling lust. He placed a kiss to her collarbone, nuzzling it with his smooth nose shortly afterwards.

"You see what you did?" He whispered, his lips brushing against her pale skin. She readjusted herself on his waist, wanting to feel the incredible pleasure she had felt moments ago. Whiteness blinded her vision as Itachi thrust his hips upwards into her covered core. Her forehead collided with his and they both sat there for a moment, their eyes shut while they revelled in the clothed contact.

"Itachi..." She whispered, so immensely dazzled that she was unsure whether she had said it in her mind, or through her lips. There was no reply, but she felt his hands brushing against the rims of her shorts. They jumped all the way along until they reached the back of them, where she felt them tighten for a second.

A rip echoed around the room and her eyes snapped open. She lifted her hot forehead off of Itachi's and stared at the slight twitch his lips did. Her eyes travelled down between them. She was no longer wearing her white shorts, meaning her fresh, white underwear was now on show. Her cheeks turned crimson and she snapped her head up to glare at the Uchiha in front of her.

"What the-" Her eyes widened and her jaw snapped shut, like she had seen a ghost. His fingers were close. They were so close to the pleasurable ache. Her wide eyes moved down to Itachi, who threw her one smirk before leaning in to the same pulse spot her had been attacking moments ago. The same moment his lips came into contact with it, his fingers pressed hard into her covered dampness. Sakura's head fell forwards onto his shoulder, where she let out what seemed like a small cough, but was really a loud groan, bit back to keep herself quiet.

His fingers continued to brush along the fabric, teasing, pleasuring her. She found her hips moving on their own accord into them and she let out another strangled groan into Itachi's ear.

"I-Itachi... what-"

A quiet rip was heard in the silence after she cut herself off. She didn't want to look down at herself. She knew, if she did, she would see Itachi's bare, beautiful chest pressed against hers and clothing, no longer on her. Itachi wrapped a hand around her back and slowly moved her so she was lying on his bed - her still in temporary shock that she was no longer clothed.

He pressed his lips to hers in a desperate manner and at the same time, his fingers moved along her wet, silky opening. Sakura's vision went black momentarily as she let out a guttural groan into Itachi's lips, feeling her hips arching into him.

She didn't think it were possible to feel such pleasure.

Itachi broke away and his hands tore themselves away from her throbbing, tender nether lips. Immediately, Sakura felt cold, empty and absolutely crazy. She struggled to get her breaths out at a normal rate.

"Itachi, I-I don't want you to-"

Hot hands pressed themselves into her bent thighs, pushing them slowly, slowly apart. Sakura noticed that Itachi was now moving slower down her body, brushing his intense, dark gaze among every feature of her beautiful body. Looking down at him like a child seeing Santa, her eyes widened when she noticed him stop above her opening. Her mouth opened in protest.

"Don't. Itachi, I'm serious, if you dare go anywhere..." She trailed off, his head having completely disappeared amongst her thighs. He wouldn't. He was just teasing her. That was what boys did, right? They teased the girl until she was so desperate, she wouldn't want to hold back.

She twitched when a chilly, yet warm breath blew over her dampness underneath her triangle of pink curls. He must be so close. So close to her...

"Stop it now. Don't. Get a- AH." Her breath caught in her throat, her heart stopped beating and a pleasure she didn't even know could exist sprang around her entire body, causing her arch and twitch. She waited for it to stop, but it didn't. She continued to twitch.

A warm, burning tongue was circling her aching opening, brushing against her throbbing nub. It was unbearable pleasure.

"I-Itachi," one hand entwined into his hair, pressing his lips and tongue closer to her. It was so intense, so- She let out a scream when he sucked hard on her clit, at the same time as pushing a finger inside her. It was getting to be too much. There was a spiral inside her, a coil, and she felt it slowly stretching out, slowly loosening.

His finger pumped in and out of her, his blistering lips, tongue and hot breath assaulting her parcel of bliss.

"A-ah. I-I-Itachi," she tried to warn him that she felt like she was about to explode. But the words wouldn't leave her lips. She just continued to squirm, continued to pant breathlessly, moan, groan. Too much. It was too much.

With one, heartfelt scream, her eyes slammed shut and her back arched, an excruciating pleasure tearing through every muscle and bone in her body. Slowly, she came back down to Earth, her breath gone and her heartbeat erratic. When her emerald eyes opened to reveal the real world again, she was looking into Itachi's eyes. Dark, grey orbs looked at her with so much lust, she felt herself feeling small, weak, vulnerable. What had she done?

She opened her mouth to say something, but instead of words, she let out a moan. Itachi had pressed hardness into her leaking core, brushing against the still-pulsing lips and aching bud. She had squeezed her eyes shut and she waited. And waited.

She felt Itachi move down so his lips were by her ear.

"I told you to get out," he repeated as though ordering her, but this time with more humour. She let out a breathless laugh and turned her head so she could bite his neck gently. He stiffened.

"Never," she whispered, her lips dragging the words on. Itachi moved his head to the left, so he could connect his eyes with hers. He leant forwards slowly and pressed a shockingly tender kiss to her lips. She was surprised. As he parted her lips gently with his own, her heart thumped. She was dizzy.

So much feeling. There was so much feeling, words, thoughts behind the gentle kiss she momentarily forgot the activities Itachi had just pulled on her. How was it possible for bland, passive Uchiha to be able to kiss with such... emotion.

Suddenly, pain coursed through her and she tore away from the kiss, letting out a gasp as her eyes began to sting with tears, as a gut reaction from the sting. Itachi resting his head against her shoulder, brow creased it what seemed to be pain, but was pleasurable restraint.

He knew this was her first time. As her arms wrapped around the back of his neck, tugging him closer to her shoulder and pressing her hot forehead into his sweaty neck, he had decided.

He would be her first, and her last.

He shuffled a little about while inside her, hoping it would make her get accustomed to him quicker. He felt her stiffen and her breath grow erratic.

"God," she choked out, her fingernails nicking into the back of his neck. Her chest was moving up and down so quick, he thought for a moment she was having a panic attack. Her breathlessness was explained when she whispered enticingly into his ear.

"M-move again. Please."

He did as she said, this time pulling out a little before gently, slowly easing himself back in. The tightness around him was incredible and it took a lot of control to hold himself back. He looked as though in pain, but really, he had never felt anything like it. She was beguiling in every way. Her scent, her reactions, her aggressiveness, her willpower. This was not the same girl he had sparred with those months ago.

At the sound of her loud, breathless groans, he pulled out and thrust back inside her harder, quicker. She let out a loud moan and pushed her hips into his, urging him to continue without words. He began to go slow, teasing her, then he let loose. He thrust in and out, hard and fast, sweat prickling on his back and his teeth grinding against each other. He pressed his hands into the cushions either side of Sakura's head and lifted his front off of her, so he could gaze down at her contorted face. Her arms were sprawled above her head and every time he thrust into her, her chin would rise into the air and her jaw would clench. She looked like an angel.

He slowed down, wanting to see her reaction. Her eyes snapped open and she noticed his black eyes filled with lust looking down at her. She breathed in the air like she was hungry for it. He smiled at her.

She stared up at him in confusion, her eyes wide and her lips bruised and parted, panting fast. His smile did nothing to help her breathlessness and aching for him to move. She bit her lip to stop herself snapping at him to continue moving.

Itachi, as slow as he could, pulled out of her nearly all the way. Her mouth opened into a silent 'o' and she arched, frowning hard. He pushed himself slowly back in, her tightness encasing him. Her breath was held, unable to escape – like the pleasure had stopped it – and then became unlocked when he was back inside her. She wanted more.

"More," she whispered, plunging her hips into his. He hissed, no longer able finding her pleasure amusing when a sharp pain of it span through his own body. He'd had enough of playing games.

He sat up on his knees, placing his hands on her thighs to part them. He looked down to where they were connected, amazed at the sight. Seeing himself covered in her juices and her red, swollen flower begging for more... he couldn't take it anymore.

He thrust into her, hitting a completely new spot thanks to the new position. Instead of just a breathless moan, Sakura screamed.

"AH, ITACHI." She yelled, squirming around beneath him. He gritted his teeth and continued to pummel into her, throwing his own head back and closing his eyes, only relishing in their connected body parts and the bliss he got. His spiral was slowly unfolding inside him and judging by Sakura's high pitched moans, she was nearing her edge. He'd make her never forget her first time.

He released one of her thighs, then began to massage her bundle of nerves with his thumb, moving his other hand to squeeze her nipple tightly.

"A-a-aah... I-Itachi... I-I.. I can't-" She cut herself off, feeling the coil inside her unwind and snap. She arched, feeling her entire body tremble and shake with the immense pleasure that ran through her, etching itself into her bones, making her head throb and sting with pressure.

Itachi let out a low, throaty growl and released himself inside her, remembering to throw himself to her side and pulling out afterwards, so he could lay beside her and catch his breath. A trickle of sweat tickled the side of his face.

It was a while before either of them spoke.

"Itachi," He heard Sakura whisper from beside him, not noticing that she had shuffled forwards so she was close and by his ear. He turned his face left and noticed that her pea green orbs were very close to his. She placed a hand on his arm and he felt a shiver of electricity travel through it.

"Can we spar tomorrow?"

Itachi stared at her in incredulity, then let out a low, quiet snort of laughter. He raised an arm and wrapped it around her neck, pulling her tightly into him. She stiffened in surprise beneath him.

He placed a hand underneath his head and looked up at the ceiling, his other arm still trapping Sakura who was half-sprawled across his chest.

"No, Sakura."

She snapped her head around to glare at him, but the moment her eyes examined his face, examined his smile, examined his emotion-filled eyes. She swallowed, her face turning into one of almost sadness.

She found her heart reaching out to him, wanting to entwine itself with him so that he could never leave her side.

Itachi Uchiha, the passive, renowned ANBU, was staring down at her. Itachi Uchiha, whom she had barely known a month, yet had planted himself into her mind like a incurable infection.

She was in his bed, completely naked.

She'd just had sex with him.

Sakura Haruno, renowned killer, known to be the most fearsome medic in Konoha, lying in bed with someone with as scary reputation as hers. It was almost funny.

She let out a light laugh, surprising the Uchiha. Then she smiled and rested her head onto his bare chest, brushing circles on his abs in fascination. Could anyone else's skin be smooth?

He was perfect. Perfect in every single little way.

* * *

Neither of them knew that the other had been in their sights – in their _minds – _until they had been pushed to limit, become too close, had too much contact. Both as stubborn as each other, feelings, love and infatuation had gone unnoticed. Their meaningless conversations had hidden messages, hidden feelings. She hadn't known that. And neither had he.

But, being in love could make you do stupid things, _had_ made them do stupid things. Like having sex without noticing the window had flung open. Like letting all of Itachi's nearby neighbours hear their antics. Like not hearing Sasuke and Mikoto struggling to drag Naruto out of the house after returning and hearing clearly what Itachi and Sakura were up to.

When you're in love, you do stupid things. But if you're two, scary, threatening, lethal shinobi... well, 'stupid' might just be the last word you'll ever say.

* * *

_A/N: What do you think? Was it good? Just so you know, this was my first ever lemon. I have read quite a few, but this is the first time I took a chance in writing one. I guess I sort of stretched it out more than I intended to. Also, sorry for leaving out the birth of Mikoto's baby. I actually don't know why I made her pregnant, or why I made Itachi's dad dead? o_o I guess it added something, though. _

_Please review! I'll upload another one if I feel confident that I've got a little experience in the writing of lemons._


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